


going through the motions

by isthisreallife



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Full Circle, Lots of Crying, Sad, posie - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-11-29 00:06:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18215498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isthisreallife/pseuds/isthisreallife
Summary: it's been months since penelope left and josie is yet to feel okay again.





	going through the motions

**Author's Note:**

> heyyyy guys im back. 1x14 had me going through it. ive had more breakdowns than i can count and if julie doesnt bring penelope back we riot at dawn. anywaysss i started writing this after 1x14 to let it all out because as youve guessed i was sad sad. but i hope you enjoy it! im lowkey kinda chuffed with this so please let me know what you think in the comments and as always kudos are appreciated :) 
> 
> ps excuse any mistakes i suck at proof reading

Five months. It had been Five months since Penelope had left the Salvatore School for Belgium. Five long, agonising, empty months since Josie had watched the only person who’d ever truly _seen _her, walk away.__

__

__And Josie was going through the motions._ _

__

__Anger came first. White, blistering anger. At seemingly everything. She was angry at Penelope for dropping the bombshell of the merge and then leaving. Angry at her for leaving, period. Angry at Lizzie for lying. Angry at her father for lying. Angry at herself for lying._ _

__

__All Josie could do was be angry. Shout. Send things up in flames. Cry. Punch. Kick. It felt all-consuming. Like she’d never feel anything else ever again. Anytime someone attempted to help she’d find some way to blame them, be angry at them. She’d drive them away in a fit of rage with tears streaming down her face._ _

__

__And then came darkness. If she thought anger was all-consuming, darkness was more. It engulfed her. Somehow swallowing her entirely. It removed all the things that made her Josie. Gone was her compassion. Her selflessness. Her kindness. Her fight._ _

__

__Her darkness had always been there, though. It was in her blood. She, like Lizzie, had fought to suppress it all these years. Not allowing it to rear its ugly head and take over. And she’d succeeded. That was until she had nothing left to fight for._ _

__

__The merge and Penelope leaving was enough to make her snap. She’d felt betrayed by the people she loved most. Especially Alaric and Caroline for keeping this secret from them.  
And by Lizzie who seemed to think it was okay to keep her in the dark about Penelope leaving, like she’d convinced herself Josie would be happy about it. The feeling that this all could have been avoided if Lizzie had just told her was wrenching._ _

__

__Her anger morphed into a lack of care for those around her. It felt deep-rooted, like she’d forgotten how to love. Her snide remarks and deep cutting words gave her some sort of twisted sense of solace. Little flickers of revenge made her feel powerful. Inflicting her hurt onto others. Convincing herself they deserved it._ _

__

__They didn’t._ _

__

__It was after Josie had found the note Penelope had written her, the one she had read all too late, three months after the girl had left, that Josie woke up. It was scrunched up and lying in the corner of her room, thrown in a fit of devastation the first night after Josie had said goodbye._ _

__

__Reading again seemed to release Josie from the hold her darkness had on her. That night came flooding back._ _

__

__‘i love you jojo’_ _

__

__Then came the guilt. The self-awareness. The realisation that she played the biggest part in all of this. She’d pushed Penelope away. She was the one that didn’t give Penelope a reason to stay._ _

__

__Sure Lizzie could be wilfully blind sometimes, failing to see that she was hurting Josie, failing to see that was controlling her, but it was Josie who had stayed silent. It was Josie who didn’t speak up. It was Josie who had let herself become a shell. They were both equally complicit._ _

__

__And she had rejected Penelope’s constant warnings and her constant offers to help. She had rejected her. She lied about her feelings, ignored them. Penelope did nothing but fight for her._ _

__

__She’d done them both a disservice._ _

__

__She’d made Penelope think she hated her, when in fact it was the opposite. She’d muted herself so much that she’d driven away her only love because the girl’s heart couldn’t take the pain of seeing it._ _

__

__And the guilt she felt was the worst of it all. She’d practically forced Penelope out of the school, her safe place. She’d hurt all the people who cared about her. She hurt herself._ _

__

__She felt guilty for letting Penelope leave without letting her know that she loved her too._ _

__

__\----_ _

__

__She doesn’t know how she got so lucky, but after tearful, accountable apologies people forgave her. Lizzie was the first. It seemed she’d realised her part in Josie’s pain and after admitting their faults the pair went back to normal. And Josie felt just that little bit lighter._ _

__

__It turns out Alaric never blamed her. He blamed himself. After a long conversation and of course more tears, bridges were rebuilt._ _

__

__Hope and MG were next, it played out similarly._ _

__

__Josie felt an enormous weight lifted._ _

__

__But something was missing and a familiar numbness filled the void. She couldn’t have closure without apologising to Penelope and telling her the truth. She needed to get one last thing off her chest before she could make her peace._ _

__

__But that wasn’t possible. So her conflict remained within her, cloaked by a permanent ache._ _

__

__—--_ _

__

__The numbness didn’t fade. Even weeks after she was supposedly back to ‘normal’. Her relationships were fixed, or a s fixed as they could be given her state, but she hid it pretty well. She was no longer crying herself to sleep seven days a week (it was more like three now), she didn’t have the urge to set everything alight, but she still felt broken._ _

__

__She tried her best to appear happy and, well, like Josie. But people could see the lack of light behind her eyes. Lizzie could see it, Hope could see it, she could see it._ _

__

__Maintaining her ‘im fine’ facade was exhausting, it was slowly destroying her. Each day felt like a chore, an arduous task, a means to an end until she could fall back into her bed and escape into sleep. Even then her dreams were often plagued. She dreamt of Penelope leaving, Penelope hating her. Sometimes she dreamt of losing Lizzie, sometimes she dreamt of losing everyone. Sometimes she didn’t dream. And occasionally, just occasionally, she’d dream of being reunited with the raven-haired girl. Those fleeting few seconds of unadulterated happiness reminded her of why she kept going._ _

__

__————_ _

__

__It was Friday and Josie was having a bad day. Dark circles framed her eyes and her mouth tipped into an exhausted frown, from yet another night of painful dreams. She’d also had a particularly taxing session with Emma and it had left her feeling no better about herself or her trauma, which is the opposite of the goal they were trying to achieve. To top it off, she’d been given detention by Mr East for falling asleep in History of charms, and then another detention for flipping him off and storming out the classroom._ _

__

__She was desperately trying to compartmentalise. It was unhealthy but It was the only thing that seemed to work. She just wanted to go to Penelope’s room, wrap herself in the hoodie she’d left behind and nap. She always dreamt happy things when she slept there, and quite frankly, she could use the pick me up._ _

__

__She was on her way there, having decided to skip maths because she just could not find the will to attend, when she heard a group of people and lots of shuffling. She rounded the corner to see her father directing a few men, each holding boxes filled with what looked to be the contents of Penelope’s room._ _

__

__She locked eyes with Alaric and a dangerous combination of anger and sadness coursed through her._ _

__

__‘NO’ she said, loud enough for all the men to hear and stop what they were doing._ _

__

__‘you are not cleaning out her room, you’re not doing it you can’t’ she spat with desperation, tears already escaping her tired eyes._ _

__

__‘Honey, its been almost six months, we have to do it as some poi-‘_ _

__

__‘i said NO’ she interrupted, the boxes dropped from the men’s hands when her hands closed into fists._ _

__

__‘it’s the only thing I have left of her’ she cried, her feet glowing red._ _

__

__Alaric wore a worried expression. ‘Josie I-‘_ _

__

__Josie marched forward, looking up she launched her father across the hall with a lift of her chin._ _

__

___‘vade’_ she whispered with a flick of her wrist. All the boxes shot across the floor and back into Penelope’s room. She swiftly followed, the door slamming behind her. locked. __

____ _ _

____Alaric could hear her choked sobs from where he sat on the polished floors, three doors down._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____——-_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Josie didn’t know how long it had been since she’d locked herself in Penelope’s room. But the sun had now set and her tears had finally ceased. She sat puffy eyed on Penelope’s bed, in her hoodie, hugging her knees._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____She had redecorated Penelope’s room, meticulously placing everything exactly where it belonged, hanging what clothing was left of her ex-girlfriend perfectly in the wardrobe, shelfing books in genre-order just like the other girl had. She’d put the sheets back on her be, stuck her revision notes back on her wall and reframed pictures she’d left behind._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____All from memory. She spent long enough analysing every detail of this room, it was branded in her memory._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Josie took a deep breath, willing her tense body to relax. She could feel exhaustion in her bones. She let her forehead drop to her knees and willed herself to think happy things because she didn’t know just how much more of this she could take. The threat of impending death and the loss of her first love was really doing a number on her._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____She was roused out of her thoughts when she heard a wrap on the door._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____‘Jo?’_ _ _ _

____ _ _

____She heard Lizzie’s muffled voice through the oak._ _ _ _

____ _ _

_____‘reserare’_ she muttered and the door creaked open. Her magic was as weak she felt after her outburst earlier. __ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The concerned looking blonde tentatively stepped into the room._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘hey’ she said softly, sitting down opposite Josie._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Tears immediately started falling from the brunette’s eyes._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘I convinced dad to leave this room alone for a while, he’s not mad, you know’ Lizzie said gently._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Josie was grateful for Lizzie. She had truly been trying to better herself, and she’d been incredibly empathetic and there for Josie when she needed her._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘thank you’ Josie replied in a whisper_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘are you okay?’_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Stupid question._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘no’ Josie said, voice cracking._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Lizzie just pulled her in for a hug and stroked her back soothingly._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘I thought it was meant to get better with time, but it’s been six months and I somehow miss her more everyday’ Josie managed through choked sobs._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Lizzie tried her best to comfort the girl, try and understand what she was feeling. But she knew her twin pains were nowhere near close to what Josie was going through._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She squeezed her tighter._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘not to mention our death sentence. If I’m not thinking about her then I’m thinking about the merge. What did we do to deserve a curse like that? I feel so alone, I know you feel it too, it's not fair’_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Lizzie was crying now too. ‘mom and dad are going to find a way out of it, jo, they promised.’_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Josie pulled away and wiped Lizzie's tears. ‘i just know it’d be easier if she were here, she always knew what to say or how to distract me. You’ve got hope i- I’m not bitter I just- i miss Pen’_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______‘i know jo, I know. But I’m always here okay? Always, I’m not going anywhere I promise, you’re not alone’_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Lizzie pulled her in for a hug again._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______————_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______It had been two weeks and Josie had slept in Penelope’s room almost every night, save for when Lizzie asked her to stay (usually because Hope was MIA). She felt like she taken one step forward and two steps back. Something about seeing Penelope’s room being cleared out threw her. It made her realise that she craved Penelope’s presence, even if she wasn’t actually there._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______—— —-_ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Penelope stared up at the Salvatore gates. Tall, intimidating, emblazoned with the infamous Salvatore ’S’. She whispered a charm to unlock them before stepping through as quietly as possible. It felt remarkably like coming home._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She cloaks herself with an invisibility spell as not to disturb the serenity of the Salvatore School at night. She’s also far too exhausted from far too many hours travelling to deal with the inevitable ruckus that will arise as a result of her wordless return._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______She moves towards the school, revelling in the calm familiarity of the place. After the chaotic few months she’s had, travelling from place to place, she welcomes it._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______Penelope silently climbs the stairs, praying to all that's holy that her dorm is still hers and that they haven’t cleared it out or sold it to the highest bidder. Though if Josie had something to do with it, that's unlikely. She hopes._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

_______Josie _. God how she desperately wishes to see Josie. But she figures dropping the bombshell that she’s back after disappearing into thin air for seven months to find a solution to the twins impending doom is a bit much at reveal at three in the morning. plus, a girl gotta sleep.__ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She traces the smooth ebony walls with her fingers, as if to reacclimatise. As if to finally take a breath. As if to ground herself, find her balance again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________She’d done what she needed to do. With Caroline’s help, they’d found a solution. A loophole. And now, since the first time she found out about the merge, she could relax. Let the worry and the dread and the fear seep from her bones._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Before even realising it she had made it to her dorm. Room twenty two. _Ironic_. ___ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She mutters a counter charm for the invisibility spell and reaches to open the door._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She wills it to be how she left it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________And it was. _Almost _. Save for the love her life laying in her bed, asleep.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Penelope’s eyes widened in panic and it felt like all the air had left her lungs. A pang of sadness shoots through her, too. What the hell was she supposed to do now?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Before she even had time to think of a solution, a pair of wide, doe eyes met hers._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Josie thought this must all be some sort of sick joke. Her head fucking with her once again. Making Penelope return, only for her to be ripped away when she wakes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Josie squeezed her eyes shut and willed herself to stop dreaming. It was torture._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________‘its just a dream. You’re dreaming. You’ll wake up and she won’t be standing there’ Josie muttered to herself._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Penelope looked at the rocking girl with concern. Looks like she was going to have to have to drop the bombshell now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Josie opened her eyes again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Penelope was still there._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Tears glossed her eyes. And her mouth hung loosely in shock. Surprise. Happiness. Anger._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________‘why are you in my room?’ Was the only thing Penelope could think to stay. She internally kicked herself for starting there._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________‘why are _you _in your room?’ Josie said in disbelief, still entirely convinced this wasn’t real.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘well because it's my ro-‘_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘no, how- wh- you- you’re here? Like really here?’_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘yeah, jojo, I’m really here’ she said softly, realisation just hitting her that she was back. And that was her Josie she was looking at. A tear spilled down her cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Josie bolted across the room and hit Penelope like a truck. Engulfing her in a hug, legs wrapping around her waist. Sobs escaped her as she held the raven haired girl impossibly tighter._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘i thought I’d never see you again, i- i thought I’d driven you away for good’ Josie choked out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She briefly thinks that if she were to awake after this, she’d probably deserve it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘never, jojo’_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘why- how are you back, I thought you were at a new school in Belgium? What about your mom?’_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘about that’_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Confusion creeps its way onto Josie’s face. She has the feeling she about to learn something monumental and she’s not sure she’s ready._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________‘i wasn’t with my mom in Belgium, I was with your’s’ Penelope reveals slowly, bracing herself for Josie’s reaction._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Josie’s brow furrows and she slowly releases herself from Penelope’s grip, dropping to the floor to face her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Then it clicks. Caroline. Europe. The merge. She scolds herself for not seeing it sooner. For not trusting her instinct. Her instinct that Penelope wouldn't just _leave_ her. Not without cause. ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Josie brings her hand up to her mouth, her fingertips trace her cupid’s bow as the puzzle pieces come together in her mind._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She looks up to meet Penelope’s emerald eyes. Emerald eyes filled with not just tears but something akin to fear. Trepidation. Like she wasn’t ready to release her grip on this secret just yet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________‘i knew it’ she whispers._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________‘i _knew_ you wouldn’t just go. You were trying to find a solution to the merge, weren’t you?’ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Penelope just nods, a small smile on her lips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Josie reaches out for Penelope’s hand and pulls her closer. She cups the shorter girls face and wipes her tears. She gets a flash of deja vu, a small flashback to when Penelope did the same to her before she left. Only this was under much happier circumstances. The happiest._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________‘thank you’ Josie whispered, crying again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________‘i missed you. So much. More than I ever thought possible.’ Josie speaks up again. She takes this moment to scan Penelope’s face, ingraining a fresh version into her memory._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She looks tired, exhausted even. Josie knows the feeling. But she sees hope. And happiness. Josie knows that feeling again now, too._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________‘i miss you too’ Penelope managed through a sob._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She’s unable to resist pulling the girl in for another hug. Unable to resist feeling her in her arms again. And it feels ethereal._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Josie pulls away and looks at her again with sincerity in her eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________‘whatever the outcome, pen, I don’t even how to tell you how thankfu-‘_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Penelope cuts her off ‘you don’t need to thank me and it’s a good outcome, jo, we found a loophole’ she reveals softly, hand caressing the girl's cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Josie’s sure she never felt like this in her life. A whirlwind of relief and love and adoration and happiness blossoms inside her. Fresh tears fall, and for the first time in seven months they’re a reaction to positive emotion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She leans forward, hesitating for a moment to ask for consent before Penelope nods and she brings their lips together. Josie deepens it, pouring every emotion of awe and every once of her gratitude into the kiss. They linger there, drinking in the familiar, beautiful feeling._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Penelope lips are warm and just how she remembers them. Penelope breaks away and takes Josie’s hand, leading her towards her bed. Their bed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________‘i’ll tell you everything in the morning, i- I just want to hold you, it’s been so long’ Penelope said, wiping yet another stray tear from her face._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________She kicks off her shoes and peels off her jacket before sliding into bed next to the siphoner._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Josie rests their foreheads together. Revelling in the consuming and beautiful feeling of contentment. Of lightness. Of _balance_. ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________‘i love you’ Josie slips, lacing their fingers together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Penelope is sure that this is what coming home feels like. Not to Salvatore school. But to Josie._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> if you enjoyed this check out my other posie fic :)


End file.
